Florewood Plantation Cookhouse

Note the covered walk, also called gallery or whistle-walk, and the huge chimney for such a small building.
Why was the cookhouse separate from the Big House, yet attached by a covered walk?

Answers:

to avoid the possibility of fire and to minimize heat and smell, the kitchens of the rich were placed away from the main house
the covered walk protected the food from the weather as it was taken from the cookhouse to the mansion

Created by Ingolf Vogeler on 30 April 1996

whistle-walk: slaves who brought the food from the kitchen to the dinning room had to whistle so the owner knew that they were not eating the food! The cook was trusted enough that she did not have to whistle all day long! Otherwise, this could give one the Blues!